Inkjet recording device

Abstract

To provide an ink jet recorder designed such that mist is less likely to enter a housing of an ejection head even when ink is ejected while the ejection head mounted on a carriage is scanned.SOLUTION: An ink jet recorder has: a carriage configured to scan in a scanning direction; and an ejection head mounted on the carriage and configured to eject a liquid; wherein the ejection head has a housing and a cover for covering the housing; wherein an empty space is provided between an end of the cover and an end of the housing, in the scanning direction; and wherein the cover is movable with respect to the housing, in the scanning direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to an inkjet recording device. [Background technology]

[0002] An inkjet recording device comprises an ejection head having an element substrate equipped with an energy generating element that generates energy to eject liquid, and a housing. A widely known type of ejection head is one that is mounted on a carriage of the inkjet recording device and moves with it. This type of ejection head ejects ink while moving in the scanning direction along with the carriage as the carriage is scanned in the scanning direction, thereby performing the recording.

[0003] The housing of the ejection head mounted on the carriage contains electronic components such as an ink storage area and electrical contacts. To prevent users from touching these parts or from them being soiled with ink, the ejection head housing is sometimes covered with a cover. Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which a cover is attached to the housing by providing a recess (opening) in the ejection head housing and inserting the cover's claws into the recess and engaging them. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-221696 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] When ink is ejected from the ejection head to record an image, ink mist is generated around the ejection head. Our investigation has shown that if the carriage and ejection head are scanned while mist is present, the mist can enter the housing even if a cover is attached, and the inside of the housing may become contaminated. Such contamination of the inside of the housing by mist can affect the function of the ejection head. For example, if there are electronic components inside the housing, these electronic components may not function properly.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an inkjet recording device that prevents mist from easily entering the housing of the ejection head, even when ink is ejected while scanning the ejection head mounted on the carriage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above problems are solved by the present invention as described below. That is, the present invention is an inkjet recording apparatus having a carriage that is scanned in the scanning direction and an ejection head mounted on the carriage for ejecting liquid, wherein the ejection head has a housing and a cover that covers the housing, and the cover is attached to the housing so as to be movable in the scanning direction when the carriage is scanned in the scanning direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, even when ink is ejected while scanning the ejection head mounted on the carriage, it is possible to provide an inkjet recording device in which mist is less likely to enter the inside of the ejection head housing. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an inkjet recording device. [Figure 2] A diagram showing the discharge head. [Figure 3] A diagram showing a cross-section of the discharge head. [Figure 4] A diagram showing a cross-section of the discharge head. [Figure 5] A diagram showing a cross-section of the discharge head. [Figure 6] A diagram showing a cross-section of the discharge head. [Figure 7] A diagram showing a cross-section of the discharge head. [Figure 8] A diagram showing the process of lifting the discharge head. [Figure 9] A diagram showing how to attach a cover to the housing of the discharge head. [Figure 10] A diagram showing how to attach a cover to the housing of the discharge head. [Figure 11] A diagram showing how to attach a cover to the housing of the discharge head. [Figure 12] A diagram showing a cross-section of the discharge head. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] An inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the inkjet recording apparatus 1000 of the present invention. The inkjet recording apparatus 1000 has a carriage 170 that reciprocates along a guide shaft 206 in the scanning direction (direction A). The carriage 170 is equipped with an ejection head (not shown in Figure 1) that ejects liquid. A recording medium is placed in a tray 215 or the like of the inkjet recording apparatus. The recording medium is then transported from the tray 215 or the like through the inside of the inkjet recording apparatus in the transport direction (direction B). The carriage 170 and the ejection head move in the scanning direction (direction A) perpendicular to the transport direction relative to the transported recording medium, and with this movement, the ejection head ejects ink onto the recording medium. An image is recorded by this operation. Although omitted here, the inkjet recording apparatus 1000 is equipped with an ink cartridge or an ink storage section that can be refilled with ink, and ink is supplied from these to the ejection head.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a discharge head 100 mounted on the above-described carriage and discharging liquid. The discharge head 100 has a cover 130 and a housing 140. FIG. 2(a) shows a state where the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140, and FIG. 2(b) shows a state where the cover 130 is removed from the housing 140. The housing 140 is formed of, for example, resin and has a discharge unit 160 downward in the gravity direction (C direction). The discharge unit 160 has an element (heating resistor, piezoelectric element) that generates energy for discharging liquid and a discharge substrate provided with a discharge port through which the liquid is discharged. The liquid is discharged downward along the gravity direction from the discharge port of the discharge unit 160. A cover 130 is attached above the housing 140 in the gravity direction.

[0012] The discharge head 100 shown in FIG. 2 includes a circulation unit 180 inside the housing 140. A part of the circulation unit 180 protrudes from the housing 140 and is covered with the cover 130. The circulation unit 180 is surrounded by the housing 140 and the cover 130. The circulation unit 180 is preferably a negative pressure control member that controls the negative pressure in the flow path inside the discharge head. Liquid is sent from an ink cartridge or an ink storage unit of the inkjet recording apparatus 1000 to the circulation unit 180 through the supply port 150. The circulation unit 180 controls the pressure of the sent liquid. Here, a flow path through which the liquid can circulate is formed between the circulation unit 180, the housing 140, and the discharge unit 160. The circulation unit 180 creates a pressure difference between the reciprocating flow paths by pressure control, and the liquid circulates due to this pressure difference. In FIG. 2, six circulation units 180 are provided inside one housing 140.

[0013] The C cross-section in FIG. 2 (the cross-section on the plane surrounded by the four C-C lines) is shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3(a) corresponds to FIG. 2(a), and FIG. 3(b) corresponds to FIG. 2(b). For the sake of explanation, the discharge unit 160 and the circulation unit 180 are omitted in FIG. 3. The housing 140 has walls 141 and 142. The cover 130 has walls 131 and 132.

[0014] Fig. 4 shows the state of the ejection head 100 when the carriage is scanned in the scanning direction. Fig. 4(a) shows the state of the C cross-section when the carriage and the ejection head are moving in the -A direction (the direction from right to left in Fig. 1). In the area where the ejection head 100 moves and its periphery, the liquid that has been ejected from the ejection head 100 but has not landed on the recording medium becomes mist 200 and floats in the air. When the carriage and the ejection head 100 are scanned and moved in this area, as shown in Fig. 4(a), the mist 200 tries to enter the inside of the ejection head 100. In contrast, by attaching the cover 130 to the housing 140 so as to be movable in the scanning direction when the carriage is scanned in the scanning direction, the entry of the mist 200 into the inside of the ejection head 100 is suppressed. By doing so, the entry of the mist 200 into the inside of the ejection head 100 can be suppressed. This point will be described in detail later.

[0015] In the mounted state of the cover 130 shown in Fig. 4, the walls 131, 141, 142, 132 are arranged to overlap in the A direction. Also, on both the -A side and the +A side, the walls 131 and 132 of the cover 130 are mounted so as to be outside the walls 141 and 142 of the housing 140. When mounting the ejection head 100 on the carriage, in order to perform high-precision printing, it is necessary to firmly fix the vicinity of the ejection part so that the posture does not change even during reciprocating scanning. Therefore, the ejection unit 160 and the housing 140 are positioned by the holding parts 171, 172, and the ejection head 100 is fixed to the carriage.

[0016] The scanning speed of the carriage and the ejection head 100 in the scanning direction is 1.0 to 2.0 m / s, the moving distance is 1.0 to 2.0 m, and the acceleration and deceleration are 8 to 15 m / s 2To this extent, the carriage and discharge head 100 are moved towards the mist 200 floating inside the device under these conditions, which means that the mist 200 may enter the inside of the discharge head 100 through recesses in the housing. In particular, when acidic ink is used as the discharge liquid, this is more likely to cause oxidation of metal parts and corrosion of electrical parts inside the discharge head 100. In this embodiment, since the circulation unit 180 is equipped with electrical contacts, a pump for liquid circulation, and a control board, such corrosion could be a cause of loss of control over circulation.

[0017] The housing of the discharge head 100 may have recesses into which, for example, the claws of the cover are inserted. Such recesses become a source of mist intrusion. Designing the cover so that the claws fit snugly into the recesses and completely fill the recesses with the claws would be extremely difficult, as any misalignment between the recess and the claws would be unacceptable. Therefore, some leeway is left in the recesses, and the cover is firmly fixed after the claws are fitted into the recesses, which inevitably creates a gap inside the recess. Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of a method in which an opening 144 is provided in the housing 140, the claws 134 of the cover 130 are inserted from the inside of the housing 140, and the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140. Figure 7(b) is an enlarged view of the part in Figure 7(a) where the cover 130 and the housing 140 face each other. Mist 200 is floating around the discharge head, and the discharge head is moved towards it. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, mist enters the inside of the discharge head through the gap in the opening 144 provided in the housing 140.

[0018] Even when the housing of the discharge head 100 is not recessed, and the cover 130 is placed over the housing 140 so that a portion of it overlaps, as shown in Figure 4, a gap (recess) is created between the two. If this gap is eliminated, it becomes difficult to attach the cover 130 to the housing 140. Therefore, typically, the width of the housing 140 (here, the width in direction A) is made smaller than the width of the opening on the inside of the cover 130 (here, the width in direction A) to allow for clearance. After the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140, the cover 130 is fixed in place so that it does not move relative to the housing 140. Even in this case, an opening is created between the cover 130 and the housing 140 that can become a source of mist 200 entry.

[0019] In contrast, when the carriage is scanned in the scanning direction, the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140 so as to be movable in the scanning direction, thereby suppressing the intrusion of mist into the interior of the housing 140. Figure 4(a) shows the carriage and discharge head 100 moving in the -A direction, as shown in the C cross-section of the discharge head 100 (Figure 2). Similarly, Figure 5(a) shows the carriage and discharge head 100 moving in the +A direction, as shown in the C cross-section of the discharge head 100. Figure 4(b) is an enlarged view of the part of Figure 4(a) where the cover 130 and housing 140 face each other, and similarly, Figure 5(b) is an enlarged view of the part of Figure 5(a) where the cover 130 and housing 140 face each other. As can be seen from Figures 4(b) and 5(b), a gap is provided between the ends (both ends) of the cover 130 and the ends (both ends) of the housing 140 in the scanning direction, the gap whose width changes as the cover 130 moves in the scanning direction. First, when scanning (moving) in the direction of -A as shown in Figure 4, the gap (recess) becomes smaller in front of the carriage in the direction of travel. In the direction of travel, the cover 130 and the housing 140 are in contact, and the gap is blocked in the front of the carriage. Conversely, in the direction of travel, the gap becomes larger and exists in the rear. When scanning in the direction of +A as shown in Figure 5, the width of the gap in front of the carriage in the direction of travel also becomes smaller, and in the front, the cover 130 and the housing 140 are in contact, and the gap is blocked in the front. Conversely, in the rear, the gap becomes larger and exists. This is because the cover 130 is left behind by inertial force relative to the moving carriage and the housing 140 of the discharge head, and the side of the cover 130 on the discharge head direction of travel side is subjected to pressure generated by the movement of the discharge head. As a result of the inventors' investigation, it was found that mist tends to enter from the front side of the housing of the discharge head when the carriage is scanned. In particular, it was found that if there is a gap (recess) in front of the discharge head housing in the direction of movement, the movement of the discharge head creates positive pressure in the direction of travel, making it easier for mist to enter from the recess in front. On the other hand, it was also found that even if there is a gap (recess) behind the discharge head housing in the direction of movement, it is difficult for mist to enter from that gap.Therefore, even if there is a gap (recess) between the housing 140 or the cover 130 and the housing 140, the intrusion of mist from the front of the discharge head can be suppressed by mounting the cover 130 so as to be movable in the scanning direction.

[0020] Figure 6 shows a cross-section C at the point of reversal during the reciprocating scan of the discharge head. Figure 6(a) shows the reversal from the -A direction to the +A direction, and Figure 6(b) shows the reversal from the +A direction to the -A direction. During the reversal, the cover 130 moves in the direction of travel before stopping due to inertial force, blocking the gap in the next direction of travel. In other words, the entry path of the mist 200 after the reversal is blocked at the moment of stopping, thereby suppressing the entry of mist 200.

[0021] Figure 8 shows the ejection head 100 being held by the user. When removing the ejection head 100 from the carriage, it is assumed that the user will hold the sides of both ends of the cover 130 in direction A (only one side is shown here). In this case, if the part of the side held by the user is called the holding part 300, then the holding part 300 and the center of gravity 400 of the ejection head 100 will be in a position where they are in a straight line in the direction of gravity. "G" in the figure schematically represents the gravitational force when held. If the force used to hold and lift the ejection head 100 is F, then the force F is the component force F in the direction of gravity upward when mounted on the inkjet recording device 1000. Z And the component force F in the transport direction (direction B) of the recording medium. B It can be considered in parts. Regarding the installation of cover 130, these F Z and F BIt is preferable to adopt a mounting method that makes it difficult to separate the cover 130 and the housing 140. Such a mounting method will be described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9(a) is a view showing the back surface of the ejection head 100 (the surface mainly visible in FIG. 2). FIGS. 9(b) to (d) show the process of mounting the cover 130 onto the housing 140. The left-side views in FIGS. 9(b) to (d) show the side surface of the housing 140, and the right-side views are cross-sectional views taken along H-H in FIG. 9(a). FIG. 9(b) shows the movement of the cover 130 downward in the gravitational direction (direction C), FIG. 9(c) shows the movement of the cover 130 in the B direction, and FIG. 9(d) shows the state where the mounting of the cover 130 onto the housing 140 is completed. An L-shaped claw 1 is provided on the side surface of the end of the cover 130 in the scanning direction. The L-shaped claw 1 extends in the gravitational direction and further bends 90 degrees to extend in the B direction. And an L-shaped groove 2 corresponding to the claw 1 is provided on the wall of the end of the housing 140 in the scanning direction. By temporarily elastically deforming the claw 1 and fitting it into the groove 2, even when receiving the stress F Z and F B in FIG. 8, the cover 130 and the housing 140 are in a shape that is difficult to separate in the gravitational direction. That is, the claw 1 and the groove 2 are fitted at the portions J1 and J2 in FIG. 9(d). Incidentally, when the claw 1 of the cover 130 and the groove 2 of the housing 140 are provided on the outer shape (outer side) portion of each component in this way, it is not necessary to provide an opening that communicates the inside and outside of the housing 140, the mold configuration is easy, and the molding is easy.

[0022] Also, as shown in the cross-section taken along H-H in FIG. 9, at the ends in the B direction of the cover 130 and the housing 140 (here, both ends), there are also provided fitting portions J3 and J4 (FIG. 9(d)) that slide and fit in the C direction and the B direction. In J3, the claw 3 of the housing 140 and the groove 4 of the cover 130 are fitted, and in J4, the claw 5 of the cover 130 and the groove 6 of the housing 140 are fitted. With this configuration, even the stress F Z and F BThe shape is designed to be difficult to separate even when subjected to force. The claws and grooves may be arranged in opposite directions. Note that the discharge head 100 here is assumed to weigh between 400g and 600g, and the above configuration is used for robust mounting, but not all of J1 to J4 are necessary depending on the weight and the holding part. For example, if simplification is needed depending on the weight, J1 or J2, which is fixed to the outside of the housing 140, may be made into a simple snap-fit ​​shape.

[0023] As described above, the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140 so that it can move in the scanning direction (direction A) when the carriage is scanned in the scanning direction. For this reason, for example, when fitting at the four locations J1, J2, J3, and J4 as described above, clearance is left at all four locations during fitting. That is, clearance is left at least in the scanning direction A at the fitting locations, and the cover is not fixed in that direction at least. Normally, even if some clearance is left during fitting, it is fixed in place once attached so that it does not move. However, by leaving clearance in the A direction and not fixing it, the cover 130 can move in the scanning direction (direction A) relative to the housing 140 when the carriage is scanned in the scanning direction. The width of the clearance will be described later.

[0024] Figure 10 shows how the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140. The attachment of the cover 130 progresses in the order of Figure 10(a), Figure 10(b), and Figure 10(c). Figure 10(d) shows a magnified view of part D in Figure 10(c) from above. Here, the claws 7 of the housing 140 are fitted into the grooves 8 of the cover 130. A gap is provided in direction A between the claws 7 and the grooves 8. Within the range of this gap, the claws 7 can move within the grooves 8. In this way, the cover 130 is movable relative to the housing 140.

[0025] The cover 13 and housing 140 are preferably formed by resin molding. Compared to processing methods such as cutting, resin molding results in greater variation in shape due to material shrinkage, so the clearance absorbs the variation in shape, making it possible to easily install them. However, in this case, the clearance between wall 131 and wall 141, and between wall 132 and wall 142 should be designed to be the smallest among the clearances in direction A.

[0026] Let's explain the clearance. The amount of clearance depends on the size of the cover 130 and the housing 140, but we will assume that these are general dimensions, specifically that the width in direction A is 30 mm or more and 120 mm or less. The width tolerance of each component is ±0.25 mm. Also, if the clearance between the cover 130 and the housing 140 is too wide, the timing of the shutoff will be delayed, and there is a risk that the mist 200 will enter the head. Therefore, considering the component tolerances and the responsiveness of the shutoff, the clearance between the cover 130 and the housing 140 (the maximum distance between wall 131 and wall 141, and between wall 132 and wall 142) is determined. Specifically, in direction A, it is preferable that the maximum distance between wall 131 and wall 141, and between wall 132 and wall 142, is 0.4 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less. In other words, the gap between walls 131 and 141, and walls 132 and 142 changes in width depending on the position of the carriage, so that they either touch or are separated by a maximum of 0.4 mm to 1.0 mm. Note that walls 131 and 141, and walls 132 and 142 are opposing walls at both ends of the cover 130 and housing 140 in direction A. Setting the gap between the cover 130 and housing 140 to a maximum of 0.4 mm to 1.0 mm means that when the carriage is moved in the scanning direction, the maximum gap at the rear in the direction of travel is designed to be between 0.4 mm and 1.0 mm. For example, when the cover 130 and housing 140 are aligned at the center and gaps are created at both ends, it is preferable that the width of the gap be between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm.

[0027] It is preferable that the spacing between the walls other than walls 131 and 141, and walls 132 and 142, for example, between the walls of claw 7 and groove 8 in Figure 10(d), be wider than the spacing between the walls mentioned above. For example, at both ends in direction B, in the parts where the cover 130 is fixed so that it can move, it is preferable that the spacing between the two walls (for example, the wall of claw 7 and the wall of groove 8) be at most 1.0 mm or more and 1.6 mm or less.

[0028] Furthermore, it is not necessarily required to provide L-shaped claws on the sections of wall 131 and wall 141, and wall 132 and wall 142. Figure 11 shows how the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140. Here, walls 131 and 141 are shown, but these walls do not have L-shaped claws and are rectangular walls. Even with this shape, there is no particular problem as long as the cover 130 and housing 140 can be partially fitted together at both ends in direction B, for example, so that the cover 130 does not easily come off the housing 140.

[0029] Next, we will describe a configuration that is most likely to demonstrate the effectiveness of this configuration. The circulation unit 180 described above has two circulation units per unit (one color) in order to generate differential pressure. Furthermore, it is equipped with a small pump for liquid circulation and a control board for pump control, making it larger in the direction of gravity than the circulation unit that is equipped with a normal discharge head. The circulation unit 180, being a functional component, must be kept away from contact with the mist 200 and the user, and the circulation unit 180 must be covered with a cover 130 or housing 140. On the other hand, considering the ease of assembly of the discharge head, it is undesirable to make the housing 140 tall in the direction of gravity. Therefore, the cover 130 is suitable for covering the top of the circulation unit 180. However, a gap is created between the housing 140 and the cover 130 on the surface (side) perpendicular to direction A. Therefore, the effectiveness of this configuration is more likely to be demonstrated in such cases.

[0030] The molding material for the housing 140 requires properties such as wettability for fluid flow path formation, rigidity for fixing the discharge head, and moldability for high-precision positioning of the discharge head, resulting in a limited range of material choices. On the other hand, the cover 130 is basically a component that protects the internal parts of the discharge head and serves as a user-held part, so there is relatively more freedom in terms of shape and material selection. For example, if a material with a higher specific gravity than the housing 140 is selected for the cover 130, the inertial force will be greater, which will work to the advantage of the movement of the cover 130 in direction A when the carriage (discharge head) reciprocating motion is reversed. In this case, the effect can be further enhanced by making the cover 130 thicker or by providing a structure that facilitates the action of inertial force. Conversely, if a material with a lower specific gravity than the housing 140 is selected for the cover 130, the cover will be more likely to move in the opposite direction of the head movement due to the air pressure received on the side of the head cover. In this case, the effect can be enhanced by reducing the thickness of the cover 130 to make it lighter or by providing a structure that increases the pressure-receiving area.

[0031] Figure 12 shows a discharge head 100 with some configuration differences from the one described so far. The parts common to the above will not be explained. Figure 12 shows a cross-section of the discharge head when the carriage and discharge head 100 are moving in direction A. As described so far, when the discharge head moves, the cover 130 moves to the opposite side of the direction of travel due to the wind pressure from the direction of travel (direction of movement), blocking the gap between the cover 130 and the housing 140 on the direction of travel side. Therefore, in order to improve the movement responsiveness of the cover 130, a pressure receiving part 133 is provided on the cover 130. The pressure receiving part 133 is a plate-shaped member that protrudes upward in the direction of gravity from the upper surface of the cover 13 and has a surface perpendicular to direction A. By increasing the pressure receiving area with this pressure receiving part 133, it becomes easier to receive the wind pressure that moves the carriage and discharge head to the opposite side of the direction of travel. As a result, when the carriage is scanned in the scanning direction, the cover 130 is more likely to move in direction A relative to the housing 140. In Figure 12, the plate-shaped pressure-receiving portion 133 is provided on both sides of the cover 130 and is integrated with the cover 130. The pressure-receiving portion 133 may be provided on only one side of the cover 130, or it may be provided as a separate component from the cover 130. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 100 Discharge Heads 130 Cover 140 cabinets 150 supply ports 160 Discharge Unit 170 Carriage 180 circulation units

Claims

1. An inkjet recording apparatus having a carriage configured to scan in the scanning direction, and an ejection head mounted on the carriage and configured to eject liquid, The discharge head comprises a housing and a cover that covers the housing. A gap is provided between the end of the cover and the end of the housing in the scanning direction. The cover is movable relative to the housing in the scanning direction, and is configured such that the width of the gap in front of the carriage in the direction of carriage movement is reduced as the carriage moves.

2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scanning direction of the carriage is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium.

3. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover is configured to move relative to the housing toward the rear in the direction of travel of the carriage, thereby reducing the width of the gap in front of the direction of travel of the carriage.

4. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cover is movably attached to the housing.

5. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 4, wherein when the carriage moves in the scanning direction, the gap becomes smaller and is blocked in front of the carriage in the direction of travel, and the gap becomes larger behind the carriage in the direction of travel.

6. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the gap is largest at the rear in the direction of travel of the carriage, and the width in the scanning direction is 0.4 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less.

7. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein when the carriage moves in the scanning direction, the cover and the housing come into contact in front of the carriage in the direction of travel, thereby blocking the gap.

8. An inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a claw is provided at the end of the cover in the scanning direction, and a groove corresponding to the claw is provided at the end of the housing in the scanning direction, and the separation of the cover and the housing in the direction of gravity is suppressed by the claw being fitted into the groove.

9. In the transport direction in which the recording medium on which the discharge head discharges liquid is transported, the separation of the cover and the housing in the direction of gravity is suppressed by claws fitting into grooves at the ends of the housing and the cover.

10. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the fitting of the grooves is performed at both ends of the cover and the housing in the transport direction.

11. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cover is formed of a material with a higher specific gravity than the housing.

12. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the cover is provided with a plate-shaped pressure receiving portion that protrudes upward in the direction of gravity of the cover and receives negative pressure from the side in the direction of travel of the carriage.

13. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claims 1 to 12, wherein the housing has electrical contacts in the portion covered by the cover.

14. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claims 1 to 13, wherein the housing has a circulation unit in the portion covered by the cover.

15. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the circulation unit has a pressure control member that controls the pressure in the flow path of the discharge head.

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